Scale-light switch



Jan. 24, 1950 c. M. WOLF 2,495,562

SCALE-LIGHT SWITCH Filed April 22, 1949 iin 2f Patented Jan. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES rA'rizN'r OFFICE 2,495,562 SCALE-.LIGHT SWITCH Curtis Maynard Wolf, Greenville, Ohio Application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 89,130

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a scaledight switch.

An object of the invention is the construction of a simple and efcient switch which `is particularly adapted to be applied to or associated with scales for weighing heavy loads, whereby the driver of the motor vehicle, when loading, will know that the correct weight is on the motor vehicle.

It is to be understood that in handling material such as coal, the drivers of the motor vehicles are given instructions as to the amount to be loaded von their trucks, and scales are set accordingly. For example, if the driver is on a ton and his truck weighs fortyseight hundred pounds, this will make a total weight of sixty-eight hundred pounds, and the scales are set for that amount. If, when the driver drives upon the scales, his load is light, the scale beam will rest. on the lever unit. of my device, closing the switch and lighting the light or bulb, whereupon the driver can load on until the light goes out, by reason of the circuit being broken, and then the driver will know that he has the proper load or weight on his truck. If, when the truck is overloaded, no light appears, the driver will proceed to unload the truck until the light burns. This switch operates at the slightest downward stroke of the scale beam, the switch being very sensitive,

I have found from experience that without a switch of this type, the drivers depend upon the weigher to tell them when they have the proper amount, and so often attention is taken from the scales, by reason of interruptions, such as answering the telephone or a customer coming into the oilice. Therefore, the driver does not have to depend upon the Weighers attention, for he can watch the signal light or bulb, which will be positive in action, indicating the exact condition of the load on the truck, consequently, my improved switch greatly simplifies the oilice work in a coal oiice, and the like.

These application papers are duplicates of my former application, Serial No. 337,555, led May 27, 1940 and allowed December 11, abandoned.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention comprises certain novel construc tions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a switch constructed in accordance with the present in- 1940 and now vention, showing the same associated with a scale beam.

Figure 2 is enlarged longitudinal. .sectional view .of the easing of the switch, showing the mechanism contained therein.

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation. showing the base in transverse section.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View of the casing, showing. the mechanism therein in top plan- Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5--.5 Figure 4, and looking in the direction. of the arrows.n

Referring to the drawings, in which I have Shown the preferred embodiment of inventien. l designates a scale beam of: Standard type, contiguous to which is My improved switch 3 is carrie ,lo Port 2., es hereafter speeicallr de. portion of said switch directly u der beam I.

The switch 3 comprises e, metallic easing 4, which is provided with e detachable bottom er base 5. The base 5 is formed of any suitable insulating material, and is held place within easing 4 by means of screws 6.

Extending from one end. o-,f easing 4. is e clamp 1. which ts upon support t (Fie. 1). and by a manually operated mea-ns 8 the clamp l ,is retained in a xed position unen a Support L By means of clamp 1 the` easing 4l can be adjusted with a nicety with respect; to scale beam I.

A U-shaped the ,Scale comprises an outer contact piece I2; this contact piece I2 is formed entirely of insulating material. The contact piece I2 is provided at its outer end with an upwardly extending portion I 3 and is also provided with an tween parallel metallic bars I5 (Fig. 4), which bars are integrally connected at the lower edges (Fig. 3), and their inner ends spread out, constituting a bifurcated end I6, which is mounted on pin I 0. on pin I0, against the side portions of bracket 9, and said washers also engage the bifurcated end I6 of the lever unit I I.

An angle plate I8 is secured to base 5 and a lower spring finger I9 is fastened at 20 to said angle plate I8. The lower spring nger I9 is bent slightly upward, and at its outer end is provided with a contact 2|. Secured to the bottom a suitable supportl of the integral bars I5 is an upper spring finger 22, as clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 5. This iinger 22 is bent slightly downward, and carries a contact 2Ia near its outer end. The contacts 2i and 2 la are normally separated a very slight distance, whereby a very slight downward movement of the lever II will cause the circuit to be closed through the contacting units 2l and 2 la.

A V-shaped spring 23 is mounted at its narrowest end, securely upon pin I0 (Fig. 5). The lower end of spring 23 presses normally upon the bracket 9, while the upper end presses upon the closed or bottom part of the parallel bars I5 (Fig. 5). By this arrangement and construction, pressure is normally exerted upwardly on the lever unit II, whereby the circuit is broken between the contacts or units 2l and 21a. It has been found that fingers IB and 22 will work on about ten thousandths, of an inch stroke, whereby a great saving is obtained in selling goods, such as coal.

A terminal 24 is mounted upon the angle plate I8, and a terminal 25 is mounted upon the U- shaped bracket 9; to these terminals 24 and 25 are fastened the ends of wires in the cable 2G;

-the wires of this cable are suitably connected to the signal bulb 21, whereby when the circuit is broken through the switch, the bulb will not burn, but when the circuit is closed through the switch, then the bulb will burn, giving a signal to the driver.

To make the iiow of the current positive, a wire 28 is mounted within the bracket 9, one end ci the wire being soldered, or otherwise secured, at

29 to the inner end of the upper spring nger 22,

' while its opposite end is secured to clip 3B, Fig. 5.

anism. As the base and its associated parts are l I removed from casing 4, the cable 26 will be threaded inwardly through the eye 32, permitting this movement of the parts.

In assembling the switch 3, in conjunction with the scale beam I, the main feature to be bornel in mind is to cause the upwardly extending end I3 to register accurately with the lower edge of beam I. When this has been done, if the beam moves downwardly into contact with the end I3, and continues this downward movement, the lever II will move downwardly thereby closing contacts 2l and 2Ia, whereupon the signal light 21 will be operated or cause to burn. When the proper load has been placed upon the truck, that is, resting upon the scales, the scale beam I will rise at its outer end, breaking contact with the lever unit Il, and through the action of spring 23, the contact of the two units 2l and 2Ia will be broken, resulting in the signal light 21 going out, or not burning.

It is to be understood that fingers I9 and 22 are formed of suitable springy metal, and that these iingers are of an angular construction, whereby they extend inwardly towards each other from their inner ends.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a switch of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with a detachable insulated base, said casing provided with a slot in one end, a U-shaped bracket within said casing and fastened to said base, an angle bracket within said casing and fastened to said base, a lower spring finger fastened at its inner end to said angle bracket, a lever unit including parallel integral bars and an insulated contact piece, said contact piece secured partly between said parallel bars, said parallel bars being spread outwardly at their inner ends, said inner ends positioned within said U-shaped bracket, a pin extending through portions of said U-shaped bracket and portions of said inner ends of the parallel bars, washers on said pin between portions of the U- shaped bracket and portions of the inner end of said bars, a V-shaped spring fastened at its inner end upon said pin and having its lower end engaging said U-shaped bracket and its upper end engaging the bottom of said parallel bars, said insulated contact piece provided with an outer upwardly extending end and an inner upwardly extending end, said inner upwardly extending end normally engaging the top portions of said casing, and an upper spring nger fastened at its inner end to the bottom portions of said bars and being adapted to contact with said lower spring nger, for closing a circuit.

CURTIS MAYNARD WOLF.

No references cited. 

